Do international investors care about ESG news?

Abstract

Purpose Motivated by the increasing momentum of environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing, this research aims to test the impact of ESG-related news on stock returns, comparing different geographical areas to check whether the cultural background makes any difference. Design/methodology/approach Using a classic event–study methodology, this study measures extra returns following the broadcast of positive or negative ordinary news concerning ESG issues using a panel of major international companies located in Europe, North America and the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region. Findings ESG news are interpreted differently in different geographical areas. In Europe, bad news matter more than good news and produce a negative price impact. In the USA, a mirror picture emerges: good news matter more than bad news and produce a negative price impact. In the APAC area, ESG news are no news and are not correlated to significant extra returns. This study also shows that ESG reputation plays an important role and affects the impact of news on equity returns. Practical implications Both managers and equity investors need to be aware of the potential magnitude and direction of stock market’s reactions to news concerning ESG matters, taking also into consideration the location of the firm and the moderating effect of ESG reputation. Sustainability cannot be ignored anymore and need to be included into information data set and decision-making processes. Originality/value This study adds to the current literature insights on how ESG-related news impact in different geographical contexts. This study finds that news of similar tone may produce divergent effect on stock returns according to the prevailing cultural and economic interpretation of sustainability investments.